Because
their shapes are recognizable and pleasing to children -- with styles and
objects to appeal to both boys and girls -- and because they are also relatively
simple shapes, I've long been thinking that cookie cutters would make great
templates for simple crafts for kids.
1. Use your favorite to decorate your kitchen. You can display them on a plate rail or mount them directly to the wall in a pattern for a bit of rustic, down-home charm. You might also consider suspending one or two in each window from a thin strand of wire or twine. If you have curtains in your kitchen, slip a cookie cutter onto each tie back. If you're handy with tools, you can even use several cookie cutters to replace the current knobs on your kitchen cabinets.
2. Create a shadow box for your favorite cook and include a favorite recipe written in beautiful script, a cookie, a few miniature utensils and whatever else strikes your fancy. This makes a wonderful house warming gift for someone who loves to bake.
3. The holidays give you lots of options for using cutters creatively. Tie a single cookie cutter onto each present in place of a gift tag. Choose that represent the person receiving the gift. For example, try an apple cookie cutter for your child's teacher, a megaphone for your cheerleader daughter and a cartoon favorite for your son.
If you're giving a plate of cookies to someone this holiday season, add a finishing touch that will make it truly unique. Wrap the cookies in cellophane and tie it with a bright bow. String along with a card containing the recipe for the cookies so they can make more any time they like.
4. Don't just use your cookie cutters for cookies. Lie out some cookie cutters upside down on a cookie sheet and then pack them with fudge or Rice Krispy treats and allow to harden. When the candy is set just pop the cookie cutter full of yummy goodness into a bag and finish up with a ribbon. These are great party favors for a children's party.
5. Decorate a holiday wreath with candy canes, cinnamon sticks, small measuring spoons and a few Christmas cutters and then finish it off with a gingham bow for a sweet wreath that your friends will love.
6. You can use your cutters in lots of way to entertain children. Simply stringing a few plastic on a length of soft ribbon gives you a cheerful rattle babies will love. As they grow older, teach them what each shape is as a learning tool. You can also keep a box or drawer filled with plastic cutters for little fingers to play with while you're cooking dinner.
7. Cookie cutters are wonderful for creative Play-Doh activities. Let your kids cut out their own set of animals, shapes and letters for hours of fun.
8. Cookie cutters are great for budding artists. Show your kids how to carefully trace around the outside edge and then fill in the details and color themselves.
9. Take cookie cuters to the beach. A stretch of wet sand is the perfect location to create sand art with an assortment of cutters.
10. Make your kids extra-special pancakes for their birthday, Christmas or just because. When you have the pancake batter ready, pour it into a metal that's been placed on the hot griddle. To prevent sticking, spray the edge and inside of the cookie with a non-stick vegetable spray. Keep the cutter on just until the pancake batter is set but not completely cooked. Lift off the cutter and flip the pancake. Your kids will love a plateful of Santa, kitten or dinosaur pancakes!
Are you in need of some holiday cookie cutters in a variety of shapes? Visit sugarcraft.com for the best selection of dog cookie cutters.
Have a draw full of cookie cutters hanging around? Not in the mood to make cookies? There are other things you can do with all those cutters! Don't let them sit there and continue to collect dust!
Here are some great ideas you can share with your children.
1. Trace around them like a stencil. Use construction paper to make shapes, decorate with sparkles, beads or sequins. You can also trace them onto regular, white paper for some cool coloring. Cut them out and make nice, homemade cards!
2. Use them as a learning tool. Make some homemade play dough out of the different shapes to teach your child the various animals, alphabet or any other shape. If you really want to get creative, make edible play dough and let your child eat their own creations!
3.
Make bread dough shapes, let them dry and then paint them. You can spruce
these up with buttons, beads or sequins also!
4. Grab them and head out to the yard for some unique mud pies. Get down and dirty. You can also make shapes in wet sand.
5. Dunk into some bubble mix and blow some odd shaped bubbles. This will work best with the smaller ones though, and you need a decent sized bowl to make sure the base of the cutter is covered in bubble stuff.
6. Scoop up all those old, broken crayons and make unique shapes to color with. Just line the bottom of your cookie cutter with aluminum foil, place the crayons inside and melt in the oven. Use another layer of aluminum foil on your cookie sheet to help prevent accidents! Bake at 350 degrees. Watch them carefully as their cooking. Don't stir them, they'll turn into pretty ugly colors, instead, let them blend together on their own for a neat effect. Take them out, cool them off and your kids can have homemade crayons!
7. Use them as a counting toy. If you have an overabundance of cookie cutters, put them in a basket or a bowl and teach your child how to count. It's a little more fun than using fingers all the time!
8. Cut a potato in half, press your
cookie cutter into it and stamp onto an inkpad and you have your own unique
stamp! You can use this to decorate cards or pictures to hang on the refrigerator!
Kids - Crafts & Education
1.Trace around them (like a stencil) on construction paper and let toddlers
decorate.
2.Teach older children how to trace around cookie cutter shapes to make
their own pictures.
3.Let older children trace on colored construction paper, cut-out and decorate
with such things as
sequins, pens, buttons, etc.
4.Cut out edible play-dough in letters to help toddlers learn their A,B,C’s
and let them eat their
creations.
Things you could make:
5.Cut out play-dough in animal shapes to help toddlers identify them or
to make a zoo.
6.Use to make bread dough shapes (let dry and paint).
7.Make “real” mud pies, let dry and paint them.
8.Use to make shapes with wet sand.
9.Use as stencils to make your own coloring pages for kids to color.
10.BUBBLE MANIA:
Mix together 2 C. warm water, 1/4 C. good quality dish soap (ie. - Dawn),
a little food coloring or
paint/Kool-Aid powder, and 2 Tbsp. glycerin or corn syrup. Use small
cookie cutters to make bubbles
and more bubbles. (Janine Lynn, author)
11.Teach children about shadows and the sun's power! This must be
done on a sunny, no-wind day.
Carefully tape the cookie cutter (with the tape inside/underneath if possible)
to a new sheet of black
construction paper; also tape other interesting shapes to it such as screws,
washers, paper doily,
etc. Set the construction paper outside in the morning, on a flat
surface (uncovered patio is great or
lay it on a baking sheet to set on the grass). In the late afternoon,
bring it in, carefully remove all the
objects and tape, and voila! This can spark discussions about the
interesting shadows, the strength
of the sun's rays, etc.
12.Use foil wrap around cookie cutter, leaving top open. If the cookie
cutter could go in the oven you
could let your children melt crayons in it and have one big crayon with
many colors. Place cookie
cutter on a cookie sheet lined in tin foil and put broken crayons inside
a cookie cutter. Put in 350
degree oven and continue to watch until all the crayons have melted into
one. Use assorted colors
but do NOT mix once the wax starts to melt or you’ll get an ugly color.
Remove from oven and let
cool.
13.A fun way to teach children to count when all the cookie cutters are
kept in a basket and presented
as a play toy.
14.Let the kids play “Pretend Bakery Shop” and make/decorate cookies and
cakes – give them paper
doilies to present their creations to pretend customers!
15.Use as stencil to cut out shapes from colored construction paper.
Place construction paper shapes
on a table and let each child match the cookie cutter to them.
16.Teach children sounds of animals using cookie cutters. Also, for
sounds of many other things, like
trains, airplanes, etc.
17.Place cookie cutter in terra cotta pots, grow grass in the shape of
cookie cutter, kids will have their
own grass pets and give it "hair cuts"
18.Trace around cookie cutter onto sponges. Cut the sponges out and
let children use the shapes to dip
into finger paints and create masterpieces.
For
edible finger paints
19.Store “plastic” cookie cutters in a low drawer in the kitchen for toddlers
to play with while you are
preparing a meal or doing the dishes.
20.Use plastic cookie cutters for teething rings.
21.Have children close their eyes to use their sense of feel to describe
what the cookie cutter shape is to you.
22.Use met metal cookies to make music by letting the children “clang”
them together to the beat of a
children’s song, such as London Bridges.
23.Use cookie cutters for counting, adding and subtracting.
24.Teach children how to spell by using Alphabet cookie cutters to spell
their name.
25.Make your own stamp by cutting the tip of a potato off and pressing
a favorite cookie cutter into it, add
an ink pad and stamp away.
26.Make lacing cards for a good hand/eye coordination activity while traveling.
27.Trace cookie cutter pattern onto cardstock, cut out pattern; punch holes
around the pattern and give
to children to lace with shoe strings, plastic lace, yarn with tape wrapped
around ends, etc.
28.Make sunglasses.
29.Make paper
dolls – let children decorate them with a little glue and left over
material, lace, buttons, etc.
30.Use to make small bean bag dolls, shapes, etc. for games, etc.
31.Using mini cookie cutters, make game pieces out of construction paper
and laminate. Games
include Tic,Tac,Toe; Bingo; Monopoly, Memory, etc.
32.Cookie Cutter Crayons -- With this project you can make new crayons
out of your old ones that have
been just sitting around. Your kids will think of them like new, and you
can also attach them as a little
decoration on gift wrapping. But remember: you must have yourself or another
adult monitor your
children if they do this because this requires the melting of the crayons'
wax. This project is rated
EASY to do. Supplies: · several old crayons; ·
assorted cookie cutters; · old sauce pan or tin can for
melting crayons; · aluminum foil.
33.Soap Crayons – you’ll need cookie cutters; liquid food coloring for each color crayon; 2 TablespoonsDirections:
1. Take off the paper on the crayons and put them in an old saucepan. Or put the crayons in an empty tin can and place the can in a saucepan filled with water;
2. Melt the wax by turning the stove on low heat;
3. Place the cookie cutters on a sheet of aluminum foil. Pour the melted wax into assorted cookie cutters. You may need to hold the cookie cutters down to keep the melted crayons from running out;
4. Wait for the wax to set, then cool, and pop your brand new crayons out.
Cake Decorating Uses
1.Cut out shapes from rolled
fondant.
2.Make an imprint on a frosted cake and decorate with colored frosting
in decorating
tips (gently make a mark in your icing as a great starting point for making
unique
designs and to match your cake to a specific theme)
3.Place on an unfrosted cake and sprinkle powdered sugar inside the cookie
cutter -
gently lift off cake
4.Lightly set cookie cutter on a frosted cake and carefully sprinkle colored
sugars or
chocolate sprinkles - just enough to make the design - carefully and gently
remove
from the cake and wait for the compliments to start!
5.Cut pound cake into 1/2 inch slice and cut with cookie cutter and then
ice.
6.Wrap cookie cutter with aluminum foil, leaving top open and fill with
cake batter to
make mini cakes.
7.Use to imprint fondant or Marzipan with the cookie cutters for a different
look.
Hearts look great imprinted in fondant.
8.Cut a sponge cake or pound cake with cookies cutters to make miniature-shaped
cakes and decorate them by drizzling thinned icing over the tops.
9.Dip cookie cutter in Powdered Sugar to make designs on top of an unfrosted
cake,
such as a Chocolate Cake.
10.Use the same cookie cutter in different sizes and after they are baked,
stack them
up using frosting between cookies to make one BIG cookie.
11.Design a top for a cheesecake by gently placing a cookie cutter on top,
pouring
Jam around the outside of the cutter. Using a small spatula, spread the
jam all
around the cheesecake top while the cookie cutter is still in place. Carefully
remove
the cookie cutter, and a design will be left in the middle of the Jam.
12.Use shapes to trace onto cardstock, cut-out, paint/color and use as
stand-up
characters on your frosted cakes. Great for parties to carry out a theme,
such as
Barnyard Animals or a Jungle party.
Holiday Uses (See HOLIDAYS list for cookie cutters)
1.Use to holiday cookie cutters to cut figures out of sculptors clay, let
dry and paint
(great addition to baskets, as gifts, decorate wreaths and trees).
2.Hang holiday cookie cutters decorated with ribbon on the tree, wreaths
or walls.
3.Tie cookie cutters together with velvet, grosgrain, or other ribbon leaving
a length of
ribbon between each cutter and use as a Christmas tree garland.
4.Paint holiday cookie cutters for special effects for a wreath or tree.
5.Add holiday cookie cutter to ribbon on a wrapped package.
6.Wrap a Christmas Tree cookie cutter filled with homemade fudge or Rice
Krispies/Marshmallows with cellophane and tie with a curly ribbon.
7.Make paper ornaments or wall cut-outs for any holiday.
8.Use cookie cutters to spray artificial snow on windows to make holiday
decorations.
9.Make cinnamon ornaments for an appreciated Christmas gift that will be
used all
year round. Cut out dough using an apple-shaped cookie cutters, use a straw
to
punch hole in the top of each ornament before baking them so you can tie
some
homespun fabric or ribbon in each after they are baked. Kids love them
in their
rooms because they smell so good, so make theirs in teddy bear or heart
shapes!
Recipe:
1 lb jar sweetened applesauce and 8 oz cinnamon.
Directions: Drain 1# jar of SWEETENED applesauce overnight (you will be
amazed at how much water
seeps out!!) Add 8 ounces of cinnamon to this and mix together well. Pat
into a ball,
press hard to solidify and mix. Then pat out in 1 cup units onto wax paper,
push to
1/4" thickness and cut with cookie cutters. Let dry.
10.Trace onto construction paper or on felt to make holiday wreaths (glue
to round
Styrofoam form or create your own wreath shape base from construction paper
or
cardboard. Not just for Christmas, but good for any holiday, including
Easter and
Thanksgiving.
11.Buy two sets of holiday cookie cutters, using one set to make, then
decorate a batch
of cookies. Wrap each of the cookies individually in plastic wrap. Tie
them AND the
second set of cookie cutters to a wreath. Add the recipes for the cookies
AND the
icing. An edible, usable, reusable gift. (Our reader wrote: "Better than
a puppy or a
kitten because this is really the kind of gift that can keep on giving!"
12.Let children make clay holiday ornaments (use straw to make hole in
top before
drying or baking for ribbon), glue tissue to the back and decorate, signing
their name
and date. Great gifts for grandparents, aunts and uncles!
13.Christmas Parties: Attach a small tag with a red/green ribbon with party
details and
one of your tried and true cookie recipes to holiday cookie cutters. Arrange
them all
in a large wooden bowl as a centerpiece, adding some touches of pine branches
and red glass balls. As each guest leaves the party, they can select one
as a party
favor.
14.Hostess a Cookie Baking Party for your friends that want to give cookies
as holiday
presents or just for their family. Everyone comes with the ingredients
for a batch of
cookies (amount to be determined by Hostess on invitation) and each guest
is
responsible for making/baking/decorating these cookies. At end of party,
all guests
trade cookies and everyone goes home with different kinds and shapes. There
is a
family where all the ladies get together for a week to make 7,000 cookies
between
them!
15.Tint pancake batter to match the holiday (orange for Halloween, green
for St.
Patrick's Day, red for Valentine's Day, etc., and pour into greased cookie
cutters on
a hot griddle. Use tongs and caution! Decorate with mini candies, chocolate
chips or
raisins before turning pancake over.
16.Valentine's Day: Wrap a heart-shaped cookie cutter filled with homemade
white
fudge and decorated with heart-shape confetti candies in cellophane and
tie with a
curly ribbon.
17.Any Holiday: String several (same or different designs) on twine or
colored Raffia -
knot after the addition of each cookie cutter. (Voila! A festive garland).
18.Dye bread to match holiday season and cut with appropriate holiday cookie
cutter.
19.Let children decorate the outside of the cookie cutter with by wrapping
it with ribbon
then, place their photo on the inside and a ribbon loop on the top for
grandparents to
hang it on their Christmas tree.
20.Easter: Make Stained Glass Easter cookies by cutting cookies from a
tube of
refrigerated sugar cookie dough which has been rolled out slightly. With
a butter
knife, have children cut the shape of a cross out of the middle of the
cookie. You can
also use smaller cookie cutters to cut out a variety of shapes. Place on
a cookie
sheet and fill the cutout with any type of finely crushed clear hard candy
(i.e.
butterscotch, root beer etc.) and bake. The results really do look like
stained glass!
21.Mother's Day: Make pins using jewelry pin backings. Use any cookie cutter
shape
and trace pattern onto cardstock; let your child decorate; laminate. Add
the jewelry
pin back to backside. (makes a great gift for grandparents, family, friends
and
teachers). Variation: Attach to the bottom of the pin little metal rings
or mini charms.
The charms can be made using the same idea above with cut-out clipart;
old
greeting cards, etc. -- laminate; punch hole with small device like nail;
attach to ring.
Add pretend birthstones for each child's birthday to Mom's pin.
22.Father's Day: Children can make sturdy paperweights for Dad's desk by
a filling
cookie cutter with a quick setting concrete mix (available at hardware
stores) - use
an alphabet cookie cutter with the first initial of Dad's name - or make
three letters to
spell out "D-A-D". Write a message to Dad or just sign your name. This
definitely
requires adult supervision.
23.Use as forms to make paper machie flowers for Mother's Day (or any other
holiday
gift or craft).
24.4th of July: Shred a bar of soap into a bowl; add enough warm water
to make it a
thick mixture like Oatmeal cereal. Press this mixture into a star-shaped
cookie
cutter, letting it dry for several days before pushing it out of the cookie
cutter. Also, try
adding food coloring for a variety of colors.
25.On St. Patrick's Day, use a Shamrock cookie cutter and sprinkle with
edible green
glitter for the luck of the Irish.
26.Make a cookie cutter part of a Halloween costume, i.e. pastry chef,
baker, gourmet
chef, short-order cook.
Candles
1.Use metal cookie cutter for a mold to make novelty candles (baby showers,
holiday
gifts, party favors) to make candles. You'll need: wax for melting; colorant;
scent;
wick; plastic plate. For these candle making supplies, check with your
local craft
store. Directions: Melt the wax following directions (add colorant and
scent too).
Pour just a little melted wax onto a heavy plastic plate. Allow the wax
set just slightly,
put cutter into the wax to create a seal that will prevent the remaining
wax from
seeping under the cutter. Add the wick and pour the wax till it almost
fills the cutter.
Allow to set up and remove candle from cookie cutter.
2.Pour warm scented wax onto a lined baking sheet and cut out shapes. Place
wick
in center of cut-out wax shape, cover with second cut-out using warm wax
to glue.
These also can be used to attach to your ribbon/bows on a gift.
3.Make candle holders.. These can be made with clay that has to be fired,
but would
work with an air drying clay, too. Roll a slab of clay out so it is slightly
bigger than
you want your candleholder to be and about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into the
shape you
desire. From about halfway up, cut out designs using cutters--the smaller
the better.
Remove the clay that the cutter cuts out. Take slab and drape over a cardboard
box
so that the corner of the box creases the halfway point. Allow to dry (or
fire if using a
clay that needs firing). Paint or glaze. When finished, it will sit on
its lower part and
the top part with the cut outs becomes the "window" for the candlelight
to shine
through.
Clothing (clothes cookie cutters. Also purses, hats etc)
1.Use as a pattern to make novelty fabric appliqués to sew on shirts,
jackets,
denims, visors, hats, etc.
2.Use as patterns for quilting and other stitchery projects.
3.Trace around cookie cutter and paint novelties on shirts, jackets, etc.
4.Use a stencil to make felt shapes for sweatshirts.
5.String a cookie cutter on a piece of ribbon to wear around your neck
as a
conversation piece.
6.Use mini cookie cutters to make earrings.
7.Make a charm bracelet out of the mini cookie cutters.
8.Use mini cookie cutters as a stencil to paint designs on tennis shoes.
9.Make a cookie cutter part of a Halloween costume, i.e. pastry chef, baker,
gourmet
chef, short-order cook.
Food Uses
1. Use to make shaped sandwiches for brown bag lunch boxes or any meal
- great for
finicky eaters.
2. Make fanciful sandwich shapes for a child's birthday party.
3. Make designer pancakes: Use to cut out novelty pancakes (a tempered
copper
cookie cutter can be used, with great caution to avoid burns and should
only be
done by adults) as a mold right on your hot griddle.
Spray inside of cookie cutter before pouring batter in to them. Make a
whole
barnyard or zoo! Decorate with marshmallows, M&M's, whipped cream (Santa's
beard or a snowman), etc.
4. Use only a tempered copper cookie cutter to fry
eggs into novelty shapes (use with great caution to avoid burns; this should
only be
done by adults).
5.Cut out biscuit dough.
6.Cut out bread dough (after it has risen and kneaded lightly a second
time).
7.Cut out cracker dough for shaped crackers.
8.Use as a mold for cheese spreads.
9.Make cupcakes using tempered copper cookie cutters
surround cutter with tinfoil and fold over the edges
to seal in batter so it won't ooze out - put on cookie sheet lined with
tinfoil).
10.Use mini cookie cutters to cut pie dough and use on top of pie crust
for decorations
(use a little milk to put on top of uncooked pie crust and bake pie as
usual).
11.Cut Jell-O shapes (after it has gelled in the refrigerator).
12.Make Tea Sandwiches for a Victorian Tea.
13.Make beautifully-shaped sandwiches for the more upscale brunch or bridal
showers.
14.Let's not forget their use in making home made chocolates either just
to round things
off!
15.Use to make shapes out of mashed potatoes and top off with grated cheese
(kids
love these!)
16.Petit-Fours (using mini cookie cutters)
17.Make shapes out of toasted bread.
18.Use to lightly imprint buttered toast and sprinkle cinnamon sugar inside
the imprint.
19.Use a molds to make homemade chocolates or other candies.
20.Spread melted chocolate onto waxed paper and when cooled, use a cookie
cutter to
make wonderful decorations for professional looking cakes.
21.Use to cut Scones or other firm pastries.
22.Use to make "designer" French Toast.
23.Spray inside of cookie cutter with Pam and add Sushi Tuna. Fill until
tuna reaches to
top of cookie cutter; carefully un-mold onto plate or on top of cooked
rice.
24.Make brownies a little thinner than usual and cut with cookie cutter
when cool.
25.Use mini cookie cutters to cut out bell peppers and decorate potato
salad.
26.Use mini cookie cutters to punch out shapes in scooped out pumpkin.
27.Chill and slice butter into pats. Cut with mini cookie cutter and arrange
on plate.
28.Make a Flower Pot Fruit Salad by using a small clay flowerpot and place
a 1-inch
piece of Styrofoam in the bottom of pot. Cut fruit with flower-shaped cookie
cutters .
Stick on to bamboo skewers. Add parsley bottom of pot. Fruit needs to be
3/4 inch
thick slices. Use Kiwi, watermelon, apples, bananas, cantaloupe, etc.
29.Use to make cheese slice shapes to add to crackers for an appetizer.
30.Make mini appetizer sandwiches.
31.Make Rice Krispies treats and when cooled, cut out with cookie cutter.
Buttering the
inside of the cookie cutter removal of Rice Krispies easier to remove.
Tip: Wet your
hands with cold water makes handling of the sticky gooey stuff easier).
32.Use as a mold and fill with ground meat for fun hamburgers.
33.Use larger cookie cutter to make an individual meatloaf for each child.
34.Wrap cookie cutter with aluminum foil, leaving one side open. Fill with
fruit juice to
make Popsicles.
35.Wrap cookie cutter with aluminum foil, leaving one side open and make
candies by
melting hard candy (i.e. Jolly Ranchers) inside them. When removed from
the oven
and cooled, pop them out.
36.An original breakfast: Use to make Breakfast Buddies, sort of a take
off on
McMuffin… Make fried eggs using cookie cutters. Try your best to cut the
same
shapes out of breakfast sausage patties and cook them. Cut shapes out of
store
bought biscuits and split them open. Then… assemble the sandwiches with
the
biscuits, sausage & egg and heat them in the oven until the biscuits
are golden brown
and warm. Garnish the Breakfast Buddies with jelly and fruit and enjoy
a fun
breakfast!
37.Cut out designs in apples or melons.
38.Purchase ice cream in rectangle containers; cut into ½-inch to
1-inch slices; use
cookie cutters to make ice cream shapes. Drizzle chocolate for design,
sprinkles to
decorate, whipped cream, too.
Gift Ideas
1.Place a heart-shaped candle holder (glass or tin) inside a cookie cutter
(such as a
teddy bear) and fill with potpourri. Wrap in cellophane and tie with curly
ribbon.
Makes a wonderful and appreciated gift for the top of a dresser or nightstand.
2.Add to flower arrangements (baby rattle cookie cutter for new babies,
for example).
3.Attach to a decorative ribbon on a wrapped package for birthdays, holidays,
showers, all special occasions as a little something extra - children especially
enjoy
this!
4.Use as a stencil to make gift tags.
5.Use book, apple, etc. cookie cutters to create a teacher's Collage Mat
Frame.
6.Paint jars, use Gingerbread cookie cutter to trace and cut out of cardstock
and print
gingerbread cookie recipe on it. Mix up a batch of the dry ingredients
for
gingerbread cookies and place inside jar, closing top tightly. Add recipe
card and
gingerbread cookie cutter on some Jute or curly ribbon, wrapping it around
the lip of
the jar. (This idea can be used to make mini jar party favors).
7.Wrap a cookie cutter filled with homemade fudge or Rice Krispies/Marshmallows
with cellophane and curly ribbon for party favors and memorable gifts.
8.Make fudge on a cookie sheet and use cookie cutter to make fun shaped
candies.
9.Use as a template for picture frames using recycled paper.
10.Use to sponge and decoupage on flower pots, cookie jars, etc.
11.Give as napkin rings with a set of napkins for a bridal shower.
12.Cut out squares of carpet, paint both sides, making them different colors,
and make
a mobile for a baby's crib.
13.Use cookie cutters to make trinket boxes by tracing the inside of the
cutter for the
bottom on stiff cardboard or poster board, adding a strip of the same cardboard
about 2" wide around the edges. Then trace the outside of the cutter adding
a strip
about 1" wide to make the lid. Cover with fabric and/or add appliqués,
sequins,
beads, glitter, etc.
14.Bird Treats -- cut out shapes from bread and hang by strings in the
trees.
15.Cut out shapes using Fimo modeling material.
16.Use as a stencil on wood to cut-out and paint.
17.Use as a mold for cinnamon dough to make refrigerator magnets.
18.Cut out shapes from clay to make a wind chime. (Get the pieces fired
at a
by-the-hour ceramics shop).
19.Cut out ceramic shapes and turn the edges up to make candy dishes. (Fire
and
glaze).
20.Cut our ceramic shapes to make Christmas tree ornaments. (Fire and glaze).
21.Use mini cookie cutter wrapped in red silk ribbon, add a sprig of holly
and a bow to
make a holiday pin to wear on your winter coat.
22.Thank You or Christmas gifts children can make for their teachers: Using
holiday
cutters, help children make some homemade gifts for their teachers. Place
the
cookie cutters as flat as you can get them on parchment paper. Melt some
white
chocolate and pour them into the cutters. Working quickly, add festive
sprinkles or
M&M's to the melted chocolate in each cookie cutter. Once the chocolate
hardens
(about 5 minutes?), cut off any extra chocolate that may have oozed out
the bottom.
Place your creation in a clear cellophane bag, tie it up with a bow and
add a
homemade gift tag you child has created and written to the teacher.
23.Make felt cut-out drink coasters.
24.the two halves of the two candles together. Let cool completely candles.
Without
wicks, you have scented wax potpourri shapes.
25.Use to make Salt Dough figures.
Gift Wrapping
1.Use cookie cutter to trace designs onto gift bags.
2.Trace designs onto Butcher paper or brown wrapping paper using colored
marking pen(s).
3.Trace designs onto colored foil paper, construction paper, tissue paper
- cut out
and glue to gift bags.
4.Gentle press a cookie cutter into a stamp pad and stamp plain gift wrapping
paper.
5.Make Gift Tags.
Greeting Cards
1.Use as templates to cut out paper shapes for children to make personalized
cards
and works of art (grandparents and relatives love to receive these).
2.Use to make birthday, anniversary and all other special occasions cards.
Layer
various colors together.
3.Use mini cookie cutters to make borders around stationary, recipe cards,
etc.
4.Use as stencil to cut shapes out of felt and glue to card stock.
5.Use as a stencil to make "shaped" stationary, such as teddy bears or
flowers.
6.Make hand-made cards with a "window insert". Using card stock, create
the card
shape of your choice. Print up or color as you wish. Use the cookie cutter
as a
template on front page of card and cut that shape out. This creates a window
that
lets you see a portion of the second page of the card.
Home Decor
1.Adorn/accent kitchen walls (just one or make a display to match your
kitchen theme)
to give a natural country cinnamon 'n apple mood.
2.Use a large Mason Jar or clear Cookie Jar all year round to display the
different
cookie cutters for the season. Tie Raffia around jar to create a country
kitchen
effect.
3.Use for sponging and decoupage on walls.
4.Use a stencils to decorate around windows and doorways instead of buying
expensive wallpaper borders.
5.Use a variety of stencils from one theme (zoo or barnyard, ie) and make
a mural on
a kid's bedroom wall.
6.Cut out squares of carpet, paint one side and use to decorate nursery
walls or kid's
rooms.
7.Using different shapes, sizes, styles, tie onto different lengths of
nylon wire and
make a weatherproof, shiny, tingling wind chime. An idea: Graduate size
of cookie
cutters, from large at top to mini at the bottom. Use all different kinds
or put some
together to carry a related theme. For example, an animal theme, star theme
(different sizes), sports theme, holidays, babies, etc.
8.Use clear fishing line and tie on a cookie cutter to each piece (12"
lengths or as
desired), especially older unique cookie cutters to create a mobile to
hang from the
kitchen ceiling!
9.Use as a stencil to make felt shapes for a mobile or decorate walls of
kids rooms.
10.Display cookie cutters in a basket, with the basket hanging on a peg
shelf in the
kitchen.
11.Tie backs for kitchen or children's bedroom curtains.
12.Place one or two cookie cutters on a ribbon and hang from a kitchen
window.
13.String a bunch of cookie cutters onto a decorated metal hanger for an
easy and
quick project to make wind chimes.
14.Decorate cookie cutter with colored tissue paper, colored plastic wrap,
or some
similar transparent or semi-transparent substance and hang up as a sun
catcher in
a window in any room of the house.
15.Fill a cookie cutter with colored beans, seeds, or beads, and seal it
well with clear
or tinted plastic wrap. These can be hung up as a kitchen decoration. If
filled with
clear colored plastic beads, cookie cutter makes a nice sun catcher if
hung in a
window.
16.Cookie cutters are great for decorating kitchen and children's room
floors - use a
stencil and get permanent paint to fill in with details.
17.Make pathways or decorate flower bed trims by filling cookie cutters
with a quick
setting concrete mix (available at hardware stores).
18.Hammer nails into an old cutting board and hang cookie cutters from
it, changing
the cookie cutter shapes seasonally - accent with dried Cinnamon apples
and/or
flowers.
19.Use cookie cutter as a stencil or fill with Plaster of Paris to paint
or decoupage and
place on shelves in any room of the house.
20.Use mini cookie cutters as a pull tag on a window shade.
21.Use cookie cutters on the end of drapery or curtain rods.
22.Place a cookie cutter on a pretty plate, place a color votive candle
in middle and put
some "wet" potpourri around base for a country kitchen.
23.If you are fortunate to have your Grandmother's cookie cutters from
era gone by,
display, display, display!
24.Make "stained glass" sun catchers by using gelatin to create a sort
of "plastic.
Ingredients:
3 Envelopes Unflavored Gelatin (or if your a vegetarian, the gelatin substitute);
8-10
Tablespoons Water; several Drops of Food Coloring; plastic plate and something
for punching hanging holes. Directions: Mix the water and food coloring
over low
heat. Add gelatin and stir continuously. Cook until thickened (30 seconds-a
minute).
Pour the mixture onto a plastic plate, remove as many air bubbles as possible.
Let it
set for 45 minutes-hour. Remove from plate. The gelatin will be flexible.
Use cookie
cutters to cut shapes. Punch holes where you would like to hang them from.
Let
them sit out and continue to air dry--they'll be in 2-3 days and can then
be strung up
to dangle where the sun will shine through them.
25.Make "three-dimensional" tiles. Using clay, roll a 1/4 inch slab. Cut
4x4 (or any size
and shape you choose) squares. From the same slab or a new one, cut shapes
with
cookie cutters. Rough up the back of the cutter cut clay and the front
of the tile clay
(only where the design will go though). Using a little slip (water/clay
mixture) adhere
the two together. Allow to air dry or fire if needed. Paint or glaze.
26.Mini cookie cutter shapes as drawer or cabinet pulls.
Parties
1.Use them as balloon weights.
2.Use as a stencil on colored cardstock to make name tags .
3.Make paper ornaments and wall cut-outs to match any party or shower theme.
4.Use to draw patterns for kids to color and have fun as a party activity.
5.Use a napkin rings (and let the guests take them home as party favors).
6.Cookie cutters can be useful as place cards. Attach a piece of paper
to the back of
the cookie cutter and write the guest's name on the paper. Place the cookie
cutter
with the name beside or on top of the plate.
7.Wrap cookie cutter with aluminum foil, leaving top open and fill with
cake batter to
make mini cakes and let the guests decorate their own special cakes by
providing
frosting, sprinkles, chocolate chips, mini candies, etc.
8.Use cookie cutter to stencil designs on cloth napkins, for holidays or
birthdays - add
date and let the guests take their napkin home as a party favor.
9.For a little girl's tea party or baby shower, tie cookie cutters together
with velvet,
grosgrain, or other ribbon leaving a length of ribbon between each cutter,
tying them
individually to a small tree (which requires fewer cookie cutters).
10.Finger sandwiches - cut bread first and then fill with egg salad, tuna
salad, chicken
salad, etc. Depending on party theme or holiday, dye the bread to match.
For
example, on Easter, dye the bread pink, blue, and yellow using an egg cookie
cutter
for egg salad sandwiches; a chicken cookie cutter for chicken salad sandwiches,
etc. At Christmas, dye the bread green and use tree shape cookie cutters
for a
festive look!
11.Use to anchor down a bouquet of helium-filled balloons or a single helium
balloon.
12.For a Bridal Shower, ask each guest to bring one or two cookie cutters
and tie with
ribbons to the limbs of a small tree centerpiece. The string of cookie
cutters is then
given to the bride or mother-to-be as a gift!
13.Variation of the above for Baby Showers: Make two, one for each
Grandmother-to-Be!
14.Fill cookie cutter with broken clear hard candy and bake until the candy
fuses
together into little "stained glass windows" Hang up like a chandelier
for a birthday
party or give as party favors.
15.Tape cardboard to the back of a cookie cutter to match decorations,
fill with small
candies (ie, M&M's) and wrap the whole thing with colored Saran Wrap
as party
favors.
16.Make a centerpiece floral arrangement by inserting a dowel into the
center of a pot
like a topiary and add cookie cutters.
17.Treasure Stones: Treasure Stones
1 cup flour One cup used coffee grindso1/2 cup salto1/4 cup sand orTempera
paint
or food coloring. 1) In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients into a dough;
2) Remove the dough form and knead it on a floured surface. Press dough
into
molds to shape; 3) Hide toys and surprises in the center of the dough,
and then
allow dough to dry in a warm place for 2-3 days; 4) When dry, the dough
will look
and feel like a rock. Break open the rock with a small hammer to reveal
treasures.
18.Lollipop People: You'll need craft sticks, leftover felt, round or any
two-inch cookie
cutter shape, glue, pencil, scissors, cardboard and photos of children
and mothers.
Here's what to do:
Use cookie cutter as the pattern, trace on to the cardboard and cut out
six shapes.
(An old cereal box or gift box works great!). Glue the cardboard circles
to your
leftover felt scraps. Cut out the felt circles and glue a craft stick to
the back of each
one. Cut out the pictures to place a face on each lollipop.
19.Ladies Brunch party favors: Using a hot glue gun, attach 1/4" wide picot
ribbon bow
with a loop at the top of each cookie cutter (for hanging) and matching
silk rose bud
with leaves in the center of the bow. To use the cookie cutter, simply
remove the
bow/flower because it will come cleanly off the cutter.
20.Make watercolor decorations. Using 140 lb. watercolor paper, at least
a red, blue
and yellow watercolor, and an artist's quality brush (1 inch flat is best)
flood the
paper with juicy washes of color. Throw on salt or plastic wrap and allow
to air dry
(colors always dry lighter than they appear wet). Use cookie cutters as
a template to
cut out shapes. Punch a hole in the top for hanging. Seal with a coat of
gloss varnish
(found in the paint area of your local hobby store).
Health
1.Cookie cutters are great strengthening backs. Just be sure to store them
on a
lower, easily accessible drawer and to bend over to pick them up each time
a
crawling infant or creative toddler drags them out and drops them.
2.Use them as templates for make felt catnip toys for your cat or kittens.
Pets (Animal Cutters)
1.Use cookie cutters to make treats for your dog - do NOT use regular cookie
recipes… special dog bone recipe
Dog Bone Treats (See dog bone shaped cutters: Animals)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour, or overnight
Bake Time: 15 minutes per batch
Yield: Eighteen 3-1/2" cookies and eleven 2-1/2" cookies
1 package (3 oz.) cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 to 4 tbs honey-crunch wheat germ
Directions:
In a large bowl with electric mixer on medium, beat cream cheese and butter
until
smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Mix in flour
on low speed just
until blended.
Shape dough into slightly flattened round. cover in plastic wrap
and chill it until
firm, about 1 hour or overnight. (can be prepared two days ahead.
Let soften
slightly at room temperature before continuing)
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll dough to about 3/8" thick (about a
10" circle)
between two pieces of waxed paper. Sprinkle circle with about 2 tbs.
of wheat
germ, and with rolling pin, lightly press into dough. With 2-1/2"
and 3-1/2" dog
bone-shapped cookie cutters, cut dough into bones, rerolling scraps and
rechilling
dough as needed. (If dough has softened and cookies are too difficult
to handle,
freeze briefly until firm.) With spatula, transger all large bone
cookies onto an
ungreased baking sheet, placing 1" apart, and all small bone cookies onto
a
different baking sheet. Sprinkle cookies with remaining wheat germ;
press into
dough with fingertips. Chill in freezer 10 minutes.
Bake small cookies 11 to 12 minutes and larger cookies 13 to 15 minutes,
until
golden brown. Remove cookies to wire racks and cool completely...
Scrapbooking Ideas
1.Use for patterns to make memory scrapbooks (use cookie cutters according
to the
theme of the page to outline shapes around the photos. Cut the picture
carefully
and add it to the memory page.
2.Use as stencils to make a photo collage page.
Check out the other categories for more things to make to add to your scrapbook.
Soap Ideas (Soap Molds)
1.Make novelty kid-shaped soaps with any shaped cookie cutter. You'll need:
"melt
and pour" soap base (clear or opaque); colorant; scent; plastic plate.
Soap-making
supplies can be found at your local craft store. Directions: Melt some
"melt and
pour" soap (adding the colorants and scent) following the directions for
M&P soap).
Pour a little of this on a plastic plate and put cutter in to form a seal.
After it sets up
a bit, pour the rest of the soap in to fill the cutter. For a fancy look,
you can layer the
colors by pouring one color in, allowing it to set up just a bit, spritz
or light mist of
rubbing alcohol, then add the next color. Do as many layers as you want
this way.
After the soap hardens, it is ready for use as is, or you can use this
shape and
embed it in a clear bar of "Melt and Pour soap".
2.Using metal cookie cutters to make soap: Kitchen supplies and plain,
clear soap
are all you need to make luminous bars of soap. They can be any color you
like.
colors can also be layered in one bar... natural additions make unusual,
beautiful
soaps. Try poppy seeds a spiral of citrus peel oatmeal, fragrant dried
herbs, or a
fernsprig. Directions: 1. Chop bars of unscented glycerin soap (Pure Pleasure
works well) to yield 2 cups of one half inch chunks. Melt soap in a double
boiler or
microwave on high for one minute until melted completely. Skim froth from
top. Mix in tiny amounts of liquid food coloring. Blend colors as desired.
For
scented soap add essential oils- natural scented oils the essence of the
plant from
which they are derived. Can be found in specialty bath and beauty shops;
2. Brush
chosen mold with more essential oil or with vegetable oil. Pour melted
soap into
mold and let stand until hardened, about 2 hours. To make layers, pour
one colored
soap into a mold and let it harden for about 20 minutes. Skim off any bubbles
and
pour another layer into the mold and let stand until hardened. The natural
additions
can be mixed into the melted soap or placed on top of one layer before
adding
another; 3. Push the soap out the plastic mold and tap the bottom.
3.Use metal cookie cutter for a mold to make novelty soaps (baby showers,
holiday
gifts, party favors)
Stamping
1. STAMPS
PAGE Apply paint to more detailed cutters and use them like stamps
for scrapbooks
and stationary.
Miscellaneous
YES... you can even make cookies!
DECORATING BAKED COOKIES:
1.Color baked cookies with Edible
Marking Pens for invitations or use as a party
activity letting kids/guests decorate their own.
2.Paint cookies for directions Click Here... If you paint unbaked
cookies, then sprinkle
the painted area with edible
white glitter to make them end up shiny, almost glistening, without
altering the color.
3.Decorating Cookies 101 - Step by step pictured instructions for
decorating cookies.
4.Cookie Recipes
5.Frosting Recipes
*Use as napkin rings at your favorite luncheon. Use that design on the napkin rings to make cutout sandwiches.
*Cutout sandwiches, fruit, etc. for children's lunches.
*Cut Jell-O shapes (after it has gelled in the refrigerator).
*Make your own Cookie Bouquets.
*Use as balloon weights for child's birthday party. Let each child take home a balloon with a free cookie cutter. The cookie cutter can match the theme of the child's birthday (western, dinosaur, ballet, zoo, etc.)
*Cookie cutters can be useful as place cards. Attach a piece of paper to the back of the cookie cutter and write the guest's name on the paper. Place the cookie cutter with the name beside or on top of the plate.
*Add to flower arrangements (baby carriage cookie cutter for new babies, house for new home, heart for valetine's day, cross for Easter, etc.)
*Wrap cookie cutter with aluminum foil, leaving top open and fill with cake batter to make mini cakes and let the guests decorate their own special cakes by providing frosting, sprinkles, chocolate chips, mini candies, etc.
*Use as a mold for cheese spreads.
*Use to lightly imprint buttered toast and sprinkle cinnamon sugar inside the imprint.
*Use mini cookie cutters to cut out bell peppers and decorate potato salad.
*Chill and slice butter into pats. Cut with mini cookie cutter and arrange on plate.
*Purchase ice cream in rectangle containers; cut into ½-inch to 1-inch slices; use cookie cutters to make ice cream shapes. Drizzle chocolate for design, sprinkles to decorate, whipped cream, too.
*Attach to a decorative ribbon on a wrapped package for birthdays, holidays, showers, all special occasions as a little something extra - children especially enjoy this!
*Candy Filled Party Favors - Materials needed- Pencil Open-style cookie cutter in desired shape, Lightweight shirtboard, Scissors, Clear tape, Nuts, candys (colored M & M's are great.), Cellophane bags, 8 inches of desired ribbon
Draw around the cookie cutter onto the Shirt Board . Cut out the shape. Tape the shirtboard to the back of the cookie cutter. Fill the cookie cutter with nuts or candies as desired. Leaving treats flat, slide the cellophane bag around the cookie cutter and tie a ribbon bow around the open end of the bag.
For a toddler's birthday, choose a cookie cutter in the shape of the child's age and fill with tiny treats.
To personalize guests' place settings, use alphabet-shaped cookie cutters to spell out names, wrapping each letter separately in plastic wrap.
*Cookie Cutter Crayons- Take the paper off of the crayons and put them in an old saucepan. Or put the crayons in an empty tin can and place the can in a saucepan filled with water. Melt the wax by turning the stove on low heat. Place the cookie cutters on a sheet of aluminum foil. Pour the melted wax into assorted cookie cutters. You may need to hold the cookie cutters down to keep the melted crayons from running out. Wait for the wax to set, then cool, and pop your brand new crayons out.
*Styrofoam Cookie Cutter Stamps - It's easy to do. First, select your favorite metal cookie cutter – a dinosaur, teddy bear, candy cane, rabbit, or other design. Press the cookie cutter into a 1/2" thick sheet of STYROFOAM (the cookie cutters will not cut through a sheet thicker than 1/2"). Remove your shape from the cookie cutter, dip in paint, and stamp away.
*Cookie Cutter Bird Treats - Use the cookie cutters to shape stale bread into various shapes. Poke a small hole in the center of the bread shape (a straw works well!). String the yarn through the hole and tie. Hang outside!
*Cookie Cutter Shaped Soaps - Simple
Shaped Soap Bars Make these fancy, shaped bars of soap using cookie cutters.
Materials: Mild Bar of Soap (I prefer
Ivory)
Warm water Cookie cutters
Instructions: Grate 1 cup of soap off the bar. Pour it in medium sized mixing bowl. Start with 1/2 cut of warm water. Pour into the grated soap and knead to mix. Add more warm water, a little at a time, and continue to knead until all soap mixes in and it is the consistancy of thick dough. If you want to make colored bars of soap, mix food coloring in with the water. Once your water and soap is well blended, press mixture into cookies cutters. Set the cookie cutter on it's side so the soap dries on both sides, or flip it often. Put in a dry place to dry for about 24 hours. Gently pop your soap out of the cookie cutter.
*Heart Shaped Mini Pepperoni Pizzas
Ingredients
Pre made pizza dough, Pizza sauce, Pizza cheese, Pepperoni slices, Large heart shaped cookie cutter, (for pizza dough), Small heart shaped cookie cutter (for pepperoni slices)
Cut pizza dough and pepperoni slices into their respective heart shapes. Spread sauce on dough and top with cheese and the pepperoni. Bake until cheese is melted.
*Cookie Cutter Tote Bag- GREAT CRAFT FOR KIDS!
You'll need to have a fabric tote bag (white or off-white is the best), colored fabric pens (lots of colors) and stencils or cookie cutters.
Smooth the fabric of the tote bag before starting (iron if necessary). Trace cookie cutter shapes onto the bag with the fabric pens. Add any freeform drawings to the bag. Finish up by adding the person's name to the bag to personalize it.
*Use apple cookie cutter to create a teacher's Collage Mat Frame.
*Wrap a cookie cutter filled with homemade fudge or Rice Krispies/Marshmallows with cellophane and curly ribbon for party favors and memorable gifts.
*Make fudge or chocolates on a cookie sheet and use cookie cutter to make fun shaped candies.
*Use as a mold for cinnamon dough to make refrigerator magnets.
*Cut out shapes from clay to make a wind chime. (Get the pieces fired at a by-the-hour ceramics shop).
*Cut out ceramic shapes and turn the edges up to make candy dishes. (Fire and glaze).
*Use to make Salt Dough figures.
*Paint jars, use Gingerbread cookie cutter to trace and cut out of cardstock and print gingerbread cookie recipe on it. Mix up a batch of the dry ingredients for gingerbread cookies and place inside jar, closing top tightly. Add recipe card and gingerbread cookie cutter on some Jute or curly ribbon, wrapping it around the lip of the jar. (This idea can be used to make mini jar party favors).
*Use to holiday cookie cutters to cut figures out of sculptors clay, let dry and paint (great addition to baskets, as gifts, decorate wreaths and trees).
*Hang holiday cookie cutters decorated with ribbon on the tree, wreaths or walls.
*Tie cookie cutters together with velvet, grosgrain, or other ribbon leaving a length of ribbon between each cutter and use as a Christmas tree garland.
*Paint holiday cookie cutters for special effects for a wreath or tree.
*Thank You or Christmas gifts children can make for their teachers: Using holiday cutters, help children make some homemade gifts for their teachers. Place the cookie cutters as flat as you can get them on parchment paper. Melt some white chocolate and pour them into the cutters. Working quickly, add festive sprinkles or M&M's to the melted chocolate in each cookie cutter. Once the chocolate hardens (about 5 minutes?), cut off any extra chocolate that may have oozed out the bottom. Place your creation in a clear cellophane bag, tie it up with a bow and add a homemade gift tag you child has created and written to the teacher.
*Add holiday cookie cutter to ribbon on a wrapped package.
*Wrap a Christmas Tree cookie cutter filled with homemade fudge or Rice Krispies/Marshmallows with cellophane and tie with a curly ribbon.
*Make paper ornaments or wall cut-outs for any occassion.
*Use cookie cutters to spray artificial snow on windows to make holiday decorations.
*Make cinnamon ornaments for an appreciated
Christmas gift that will be used all year round. Cut out dough using an
apple-shaped cookie cutters, use a straw to punch hole in the top of each
ornament before baking them so you can tie some homespun fabric or ribbon
in each after they are baked. Kids love them in their rooms because they
smell so good, so make theirs in teddy bear or heart shapes!
Recipe:
1 lb jar sweetened applesauce
8 oz cinnamon.
Directions: Drain 1# jar of SWEETENED
applesauce overnight (you will be amazed at how much water seeps out!!)
Add 8 ounces of cinnamon to this and mix together well. Pat into a ball,
press hard to solidify and mix. Then pat out in 1 cup units onto wax paper,
push to 1/4" thickness and cut with cookie cutters.
Let dry.
*Trace onto construction paper or on felt to make holiday wreaths (glue to round Styrofoam form or create your own wreath shape base from construction paper or cardboard. Not just for Christmas, but good for any holiday, including Easter and Thanksgiving.
*Buy two sets of holiday cookie cutters,
using one set to make, then decorate a batch of cookies. Wrap each of the
cookies individually in plastic wrap.
Tie them AND the second set of cookie
cutters to a wreath. Add the recipes for the cookies AND the icing. An
edible, usable, reusable gift.
*Let children make clay holiday ornaments (use straw to make hole in top before drying or baking for ribbon), glue tissue to the back and decorate, signing their name and date. Great gifts for grandparents, aunts and uncles!
*Christmas Parties: Attach a small tag with a red/green ribbon with party details and one of your tried and true cookie recipes to holiday cookie cutters. Arrange them all in a large wooden bowl as a centerpiece, adding some touches of pine branches and red glass balls. As each guest leaves the party, they can select one as a party favor.
*Hostess a Cookie Baking Party for your friends that want to give cookies as holiday presents or just for their family. Everyone comes with the ingredients for a batch of cookies (amount to be determined by Hostess on invitation) and each guest is responsible for making/baking/decorating these cookies. At end of party, all guests trade cookies and everyone goes home with different kinds and shapes. There is a family where all the ladies get together for a week to make 7,000 cookies between them!
*Tint pancake batter to match the holiday (orange for Thanksgiving pumpkin, green for St. Patrick's Day, red for Valentine's Day, etc., and pour into greased cookie cutters on a hot griddle. Use tongs and caution! Decorate with mini candies, chocolate chips or raisins before turning pancake over.
*Valentine's Day: Wrap a heart-shaped cookie cutter filled with homemade white fudge and decorated with heart-shape confetti candies in cellophane and tie with a curly ribbon.
*Any Holiday: String several (same or different designs) on twine or colored Raffia - knot after the addition of each cookie cutter. (Voila! A festive garland).
*Dye bread to match holiday season and cut with appropriate holiday cookie cutter.
*Let children decorate the outside of the cookie cutter with by wrapping it with ribbon then, place their photo on the inside and a ribbon loop on the top for grandparents to hang it on their Christmas tree.
*Easter cutters: Make Stained Glass Easter cookies by cutting cookies from a tube of refrigerated sugar cookie dough which has been rolled out slightly. With a butter knife, have children cut the shape of a cross out of the middle of the cookie. You can also use smaller cookie cutters to cut out a variety of shapes. Place on a cookie sheet and fill the cutout with any type of finely crushed clear hard candy (i.e. butterscotch, root beer etc.) and bake. The results really do look like stained glass!
*Mother's Day: Make pins using jewelry pin backings. Use any cookie cutter shape and trace pattern onto cardstock; let your child decorate; laminate. Add the jewelry pin back to backside. (makes a great gift for grandparents, family, friends and teachers). Variation: Attach to the bottom of the pin little metal rings or mini charms. The charms can be made using the same idea above with cut-out clipart; old greeting cards, etc. -- laminate; punch hole with small device like nail; attach to ring. Add pretend birthstones for each child's birthday to Mom's pin.
*Father's Day: Children can make sturdy paperweights for Dad's desk by a filling cookie cutter with a quick setting concrete mix (available at hardware stores) - use an alphabet cookie cutter with the first initial of Dad's name - or make three letters to spell out "D-A-D". Write a message to Dad or just sign your name. This definitely requires adult supervision.
*Use as forms to make paper machie flowers for Mother's Day (or any other holiday gift or craft).
*4th of July: Shred a bar of soap into a bowl; add enough warm water to make it a thick mixture like Oatmeal cereal. Press this mixture into a star-shaped cookie cutter, letting it dry for several days before pushing it out of the cookie cutter. Also, try adding food coloring for a variety of colors.
*On St. Patrick's Day, use a Shamrock
cookie cutter and sprinkle with edible green glitter for the luck of
the Irish.
Tip:
Use cookie cutters as onigiri molds
Shaped rice balls (onigiri) add
an element of fun to a child’s bento lunch, but it’s limiting to feel that
I need to buy a special onigiri mold to make them. You can shape them by
hand, but looking through the kitchen drawers my eye settled on cookie
cutters to provide a variety of shapes. The twist is lining them with plastic
wrap to ensure that the rice ball will unmold neatly without sticking to
the cookie cutter. Actual onigiri molds often have textured interiors that
help keep the rice from sticking, so using plastic wrap is a low-tech approximation
that also helps keep the food sanitary. You can also make onigiri in advance,
wrap and freeze them, and microwave to refresh (see my tutorial on freezing
onigiri here).
1. Place the cookie cutter sharp
side down on a cutting board, and line with a good-sized piece of plastic
wrap. Spoon in warm rice (not long grain) or anything else you’d like to
mold (see above).
2. Fold the plastic wrap over the
rice, and push the rice down into the crevices of the mold with your fingers.
Pay special attention to the edges so that the design will be clear when
unmolded. Add more rice as necessary to fill the cookie cutter.
3. Turn it all over and carefully
remove the cookie cutter.
4. Unwrap the onigiri, place it
in your lunch container, and decorate if you like (with nori, sliced vegetables,
meat, cheese, etc.).
5. You can also use plastic wrap
to quickly form little round rice balls similar to the scrambled egg purses:
scrambled
egg purses
It took about 10 minutes to make
this and my son’s speed bento together as the only thing I actually cooked
this morning was the scrambled egg purse (recipe and tutorial below). Packed
in my 470ml Afternoon Tea box.
mini burgers that I previously made
and froze when making meatloaf for dinner (microwaved before packing),
plus ketchup for dipping
scrambled egg purse with green onions
blueberries (to plug the gaps in
the bento — so there’s no empty space)
leftover pasta from last night’s
dinner (tarako spaghetti with onions and orange bell peppers — all out
of kaiware for garnish)
yaki onigiri (grilled rice ball)
that I previously made and froze (microwaved before packing)
A lot of Japanese bento cookbooks show little “purses” made out of mashed kabocha, potatoes, rice, etc. The technique is extremely simple, and can add an interesting design to an otherwise unstructured dish. Here I’ve done a basic egg scramble, and used plastic wrap to give it shape before being packed in my lunch.
To make three scrambled egg purses, I chopped a green onion and added it to three eggs — scrambled as usual in a nonstick frying pan (without any additional liquids such as milk, cream, etc.). When the eggs were cooked and still warm, I put one third of them on a piece of plastic wrap, gathered up the ends, squeezed out the air and twisted up the plastic wrap as in the photo above.
I let it sit and cool for a few minutes
while I prepared the rest of the bento, giving it a chance to firm up as
a ball. The egg ball was still moist when I removed it from the plastic
wrap, so I patted it dry with paper towels before putting it in my bento
(this kept any egg condensation from getting on other items in the lunch).
This worked a lot better than packing it still in the plastic wrap (like
I did in my son’s bento below) as it was too moist when unwrapped — it
was easier to eat when dry and already unwrapped and ready to dig into.
As
Easy As ABC: CooKie Cutters That Have Something To Say
Alphabet
Cutter Sets
School
Cake Decorations - ABC, 123 Assorted
EDIBLE Candy Confetti Sprinkles for Cakes, Cupcakes & Cookies
Fun, And More!
Cookie making has long been a fun
activity for parents and children to do together. Particularly at holidays,
but also throughout the year, it's enjoyable to work together to produce
a treat that is attractive and tasty.
The time spent in such pursuits is memorable for both parent and child, and memories last long past the last tasty crumbs and drops of milk. The educational opportunities in cookie making extend far beyond the process of baking, and are worth while for parent and educators alike to incorporate into teachable moments or lesson plans.
Language, Grammar, Spelling and More
For the youngest ones, whether in
a preschool environment or in the home, a set of ABC cookie cutters allows
for a springboard into development of various elements of language arts.
It begins with becoming acquainted with the alphabet. Just as popular educational
programming highlights a particular letter on a given program, so a parent
or educator can do. Whether a couple of times a week, or just every so
often, a batch of alphabet cookies can be whipped up using select elements
of the ABC cookie cutters, and activity and discussion can center around
those letters.
An essential aspect of such activity, good questioning leads to good thinking. What letter is this? How many of these letters do you know? What words start with this letter? Can you match this letter to something in the kitchen? If a response doesn't seem to be correct, ask leading questions to get an idea of the child's thinking.
For the youngster learning to spell, what fun to have an assortment of edible letters made from sugar cookie dough. A little planning on the part of the parent, and sufficient letters might be available to perform any number of activities. Spell a word correctly, and you get to eat corresponding letters. Send the letters in a school lunch for the child to unscramble. If they correctly report which word they unscrambled, a further treat or prize is gained. Or points earned toward an activity or prize. Not that we need to "Jelly Bean" the child to death, but that we make the exercise fun. Simply keeping a colorful wall chart of correctly spelled words may be fun. The idea is to create interesting things to do based on the spelling words to reinforce the spelling.
The more able child may enjoy cutting the cookies out, using the ABC cookie cutters to cut spelling words from the dough. Perhaps the child will enjoy decorating the letters, color coordinating the letters from a given spelling word. The possibilities are really ample, and children love to own an activity by thinking it up themselves. Whether you make the dough from scratch, or purchase pre-made cookie dough, there is a multitude of educational fun to be had with a simple alphabet cookie cutter set.
Foreign Language Application
While most sets of ABC Cookie Cutters
incorporate an American English alphabet, it would not be difficult to
fashion a couple of additional shapes to make special marks such as the
Spanish tilde. As a student, I learned much of my Spanish grammar by writing
and re-writing spelling words, verb conjugations, and more. For the hands
on student, this, again, would allow a fun and intriguing way to put together
vocabulary in a tactile manner. Of course, this could be done with letter
tiles, or construction paper cut outs, or stickers, but none of those would
be edible!
Challenge Your Puzzle Lover
Spell a lengthy word or short phrase
in cookies, and encourage them to spell as many words as possible, using
only the cookies given. At the end of the activity, enjoy the cookies
as a snack.
For The Future Baker
Meanwhile, ABC Cookie Cutters provide
a way to encourage your future baker, pastry/cake artist, or chef with
some fun media. Give that child the opportunity to work with varied recipes.
Perhaps they want to know if chocolate chip cookies lend themselves to
cutting out. Or perhaps they wish to design a birthday cake for a friend.
The cutters can be used for decorative cookies to adorn a cake, or to cut
out fondant. The possibilities are endless.
Beyond Cookie Dough
For the aspiring artist, a set of
cookie cutters may lead to Sculpey clay ornaments. The toddler's fascination
with playdough can be appeased with ABC Cookie Cutters, as can the teen
or tween with an artistic or crafty bent.
Alphabet cookie cutters are a fun way to encourage and educate your students or children, and activities are only limited by your creative insight.
1. Trace around them (like a stencil) on construction paper and let toddlers decorate.
2. Teach older children how to trace around cookie cutter shapes to make their own pictures.
3. Let older children trace on colored construction paper, cut-out and decorate with such things as sequins, pens, buttons, etc.
4. Cut out edible play-dough in letters to help toddler learn their A,B,C's and let them eat their creations.
5. Cut out play-dough in animal shapes to help toddlers identify them or to make a zoo.
6. Use to make bread dough shapes (let dry and paint).
7. Make "real" mud pies, let dry and paint them.
8. Use to make shapes with wet sand.
9. Use as stencils to make your own coloring pages for kids to color.
10. Bubble Mania - Mix together 2 C. warm water, 1/4 C. good quality dish soap (ie. - Dawn), a little food coloring or paint/Kool-Aid powder, and 2 Tbsp. glycerin or corn syrup. Use small cookie cutters to make bubbles and more bubbles. (Janine Lynn, author)
11. Teach children about shadows and the sun's power! This must be done on a sunny, no-wind day. Carefully tape the cookie cutter (with the tape inside/underneath if possible) to a new sheet of black construction paper; also tape other interesting shapes to it such as screws, washers, paper doily, etc. Set the construction paper outside in the morning, on a flat surface (uncovered patio is great or lay it on a baking sheet to set on the grass). In the late afternoon, bring it in, carefully remove all the objects and tape, and voila! This can spark discussions about the interesting shadows, the strength of the sun's rays, etc.
12. Use foil wrap around cookie cutter, leaving top open. If the cookie cutter could go in the oven you could let your children melt crayons in it and have one big crayon with many colors. Place cookie cutter on a cookie sheet lined in tin foil and put broken crayons inside a cookie cutter. Put in 350 degree oven and continue to watch until all the crayons have melted into one. Use assorted colors but do not mix once the wax starts to melt or you'll get an ugly color. Remove from oven and let cool.
13. A fun way to teach children to count when all the cookie cutters are kept in a basket and presented as a play toy.
14. Let the kids play "Pretend Bakery Shop" and make/decorate cookies and cakes - give them paper doilies to present their creations to pretend customers!
15. Use as stencil to cut out shapes from colored construction paper. Place construction paper shapes on a table and let each child match the cookie cutter to them.
16. Teach children sounds of animals using cookie cutters. Also, for sounds of many other things, like trains, airplanes, etc.
17. Place cookie cutter in terra cotta pots, grow grass in the shape of cookie cutter, kids will have their own grass pets and give it "hair cuts"
18. Trace around cookie cutter onto sponges. Cut the sponges out and let children use the shapes to dip into finger paints and create masterpieces. For edible finger paints, click on www.thepartyworks.com/ediblecrafts.htm
19. Store "plastic" cookie cutters in a low drawer in the kitchen for toddlers to play with while you are preparing a meal or doing the dishes.
20. Use plastic cookie cutters for teething rings.
21. Have children close their eyes to use their sense of feel to describe what the cookie cutter shape is to you.
22. Use met metal cookies to make music by letting the children "clang" them together to the beat of a children's song, such as London Bridges.
23. Use cookie cutters for counting, adding and subtracting.
24. Teach children how to spell by using Alphabet cookie cutters to spell their name.
25. Make your own stamp by cutting the tip of a potato off and pressing a favorite cookie cutter into it, add an ink pad and stamp away.
26. Make lacing cards for a good hand/eye coordination activity while traveling.
27. Trace cookie cutter pattern onto cardstock, cut out pattern; punch holes around the pattern and give to children to lace with shoe strings, plastic lace, yarn with tape wrapped around ends, etc.
28. Make sunglasses.
29. Make paper dolls - let children decorate them with a little glue and left over material, lace, buttons, etc.
30. Use to make small bean bag dolls, shapes, etc. for games, etc.
31. Using mini cookie cutters, make game pieces out of construction paper and laminate. Games include Tic,Tac,Toe; Bingo; Monopoly, Memory, etc.
32. Cookie Cutter Crayons -- With
this project you can make new crayons out of your old ones that have been
just sitting around. Your kids will think of them like new, and you can
also attach them as a little decoration on gift wrapping. But remember:
you must have yourself or another adult monitor your children if they do
this because this requires the melting of the crayons' wax. This project
is rated easy to do.
Supplies:
several old crayons
assorted cookie cutters
old sauce pan or tin can for melting
crayons
aluminum foil.
Directions:
Take off the paper on the crayons and put them in an old saucepan. Or put the crayons in an empty tin can and place the can in a saucepan filled with water;
Melt the wax by turning the stove on low heat;
Place the cookie cutters on a sheet of aluminum foil. Pour the melted wax into assorted cookie cutters. You may need to hold the cookie cutters down to keep the melted crayons from running out;
Wait for the wax to set, then cool, and pop your brand new crayons out.
33. Soap Crayons - you'll need cookie cutters; liquid food coloring for each color crayon; 2 Tablespoons hot water; 1 cup soap flakes. Directions: For each color, put two tablespoons of hot water and one cup of soap flakes into a bowl. Add as many drops of food coloring to the mix as you wish. Stir the soap mixture until it thickens. This takes time, so be patient. Press spoonfuls of the first color of soap into cookie cutters. Let the soap crayons dry for one or two days. Gently bang the cookie cutters to loosen the crayons.
34. Self-hardening clay bead necklace - you'll need mini Cookie Cutters; Paint; Beads; Nylon thread; Jewelry necklace clasp finding; Toothpick; Prepare the clay according to instructions on packet. (or make your own); Use cookie cutters to cut out designs. Let the clay harden before handling and drill a hole though the top with the toothpick. Let the clay pieces dry completely. Once the pieces are dried, paint any color you like. After the paint dries you might want to spray the clay pieces with an acrylic spray. String the clay pieces with the other beads onto the thread. Tie on the jewelry clasp.
35.Use shapes to make puppets
2 Purchase cookie cutters, if you don't have the necessary shapes already. Cookie cutters often come in packages with like decorations. Some are simple shapes, like snowflakes or hearts, and the cookie cutters are different sizes. Others come with different shapes that relate to the same theme, like a party or Christmas. You can also purchase cookie cutters individually.
3 Start with a clean surface. In this case, the clean surface is your cake. When your cake is cool, transfer it out of the baking pan and on to a serving platter, if you wish.
4 Apply a "base coat." This is going to be a thin layer of frosting that will serve as a background color. You can skip this step if you plan on covering your cake entirely with cookie-cutter shapes.
5 Put a cookie cutter where you want the design on the cake to be and press down gently.
6 Fill the inside of the cookie cutter with frosting, then gently remove the cookie cutter from the cake. Make sure you are careful, and pull the cookie cutter straight up.
3 Ways to Make Your Trip to the
Zoo More Enjoyable
Everyone knows that a family trip
to the local zoo, petting farm or other animal habitat can be a lot of
fun, but did you know that there are several things you can do to make
the experience even more enjoyable? Try one or more of these everyday fun
ideas to make your next visit to the Atlanta Zoo and other animal themed
Atlanta attractions even more fun.
1. Pack an animal themed lunch or snacks.
Your child will enjoy helping you prepare an animal themed food. Here’s a list of several items for a bountiful picnic or casual snack.
Use animal shaped cookie cutters to make the 3 yummy foods below.
Animal shaped sandwiches – Prepare
your sandwich of choice then use the animal shaped cookie cutters to cut
the sandwiches.
Animal shaped gelatin – Use animal
shaped cookie cutters to mold homemade gelatin into animal shapes.
Animal shaped cookies – Cut cookie
dough into animal shapes or decorate the top of any cookie with frosting
and used colored icing to create animal faces.
More animal themed food items
Goldfish crackers
Animal crackers
Gummy bears and other fruit snacks
Give unique names to everyday food
with these cute ideas from www.coolest-kid-birthday-parties.com
Animal-Striped Pizzas (Make your
own pizzas using alternates of white, yellow and orange cheese strips to
look like animal print. Add toppings in alternates, like a row of olives
in a diagonal, then a row of cheese, another row of olives, etc. for tasty
animal stripes.
Peanut Butter and Jellyphant sandwiches
(Cut these out with an elephant cookie cutter.)
Tiger treats (orange cheese balls)
Toad-slaw (coleslaw)
French Flies (fries)
Monkey bites (chunks of bananas)
Rabbit pellets (raisins)
Pigs in a blanket (hot dog)
Alligator-ade (green Gatorade) Make
frozen ice cubes with raisins in them so it looks like flies are floating
in their animal juices (the older kids just love this!)
2.
Create animal themed crafts.
Smaller children who love to wear hats will enjoy decorating animal themed caps especially for the trip to the Zoo.
Items You will Need
Painters caps
Animal shaped sponges (these also
make fun bath toys)
Permanent Markers (in various colors)
Paint
Directions
Write your child’s name or have them
write their name on the cap using the permanent marker.
Place the animal sponges in the
paint then position the sponges on the cap as desired.
Allow the paint to dry.
You can also make animal masks or animal ears by using just a few materials such as card stock, elastic string, scissors, etc.
3. Help your child learn more about their favorite animal.
There are a variety of ways to help your child learn more about animals including how they live on a farm, survive in a jungle, hunt in the safari or roam in the wild. You can research fun animal facts online or pick up books from your local library.
DK Publishing has a series of books entitled See How They Grow and Watch Me Grow that feature zoo, farm and marine animals. These books are great for ages 3 and up and even include stickers that kids can place throughout the book. Within each book, your child will discover how animals develop.
The DK See How They Grow series includes books on Kittens, Pigs, Horses, Frogs, Lambs, Ducks, Penguins, Butterflies, etc. You can also find books about Apes, Bears, Elephants, Turtles, Pandas, and more in the DK Publishing Watch Me Grow series.
In addition to researching online and reading books, use the following ideas to help reinforce your child’s learning about animals.
Cookie Cutter Garden Stakes
Garden art can be beautiful and functional
at the same time. Here is an easy and inexpensive project that allows you
to add a personalized touch to your garden and potted plants. With supervision,
this project is an easy one for kids, and best of all, no 'crafty' skills
are required.
Materials
Bakeable clay (available at craft
stores)
Assorted cookie cutters
Wooden dowels or wire hangers (to
act as stakes)
Wood glue
Clear polyurethane sealant (if using
the stakes outdoors).
Newspaper
Rolling pin (cover it with wax paper
to prevent staining)
Cookie sheet
Optional Items
Embellishments of your choice (leaves,
pinecones, shells, rubber stamps, etc.)
Pencil or screwdriver for carving
Stain, acrylic paint, or permanent
markers
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Instructions
Assemble your materials. Using unfinished
wood, cardboard, or several layers of newspaper as a work surface, shape
a handful of clay into a patty and using your rolling pin, roll it out
like cookie dough until it's approximately 1/2 inch thick. Roll out only
enough clay to cut out one or two cookies at a time. Keep the rest in a
tightly sealed bag until you need it.
Before cutting out your clay cookies, compare the thickness of your dough to the thickness of the dowel you will be using. The dough should be thick enough so that when you go to insert the dowel into the middle of the clay, it doesn't break through. For example, I used 1/4 inch wooden dowels and rolled out my dough 1/2 inch thick. Adjust the thickness if necessary, then cut out assorted shapes using your cookie cutters.
After you cut out your clay cookies,
make a hole in the bottom for your dowel. Make sure the hole is deep enough
so that after baking, your dowel can be reinserted far enough into the
cookie to support its weight. I made my dowel holes 1-1 1/2 inches deep.
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Once you have all of your cookies cut out, it's time to carve or imprint designs into them (painting is done AFTER baking). It's a good idea to leave the dowels in the cookies at this point to prevent the holes from getting flattened. To decorate my cookies, I used a piece of a pine bough to make the fur on my squirrel. With some fancy scrapbook fasteners, I imprinted patterns on the wings of my butterflies and added copper florist wire for antennae. I used rubber stamps to imprint the word 'grow' onto my fish. Remember, there are no rules, so just have fun with it!
Warning: Do not embed any embellishments into the clay, they will catch fire in the oven! Also, the copper antennae on my butterfly did fine, but be forewarned that some metal finishes turn color when heated.
Remove the dowels from your cookies and place them on a cookie sheet. At this point, follow the drying instructions that came with your clay. To prevent cracking, my clay needed to be completely dry before baking. Drying times vary. Mine took 48 hours at room temperature.
After drying your cookies, bake them according to the directions that came with your clay. My clay baked at 350 degrees F for 1 hour. After baking, your cookies can be painted with acrylic, enamel, tempera, or watercolors, or they can be stained or antiqued with the same products recommended for wood.
After the cookies cool down from baking, drop a few drops of wood glue into the dowel holes and insert the dowels. Let the glue dry for a few minutes before moving on to the next step.
Finally, if you're planning to use
your plant stakes outdoors, apply several layers of a clear polyurethane
sealant to them to protect them from moisture damage. Follow directions
according to the label. You can find clear polyurethane at craft stores
of wherever paints are sold.
Helpful Hints
Clay: I used Ovencraft Clay by Laguna
that I bought at Michaels Craft Store. A 4 lb box (now that's a LOT of
plant stakes!) cost $9.99 + tax (no coupon). Michaels carries other bakeable
clays, and although some were cheaper, I happened to like the color of
this one. If the idea of baking clay doesn't inspire you, clay that hardens
by air drying may work for this project, too (I haven't tried it). Many
stores that carry craft supplies carry some type of bakeable clay.
Baking: There may be a small amount
of smoke and an intense odor as the clay bakes, so run the hood on your
stove and crack the kitchen windows. Projects should ALWAYS be baked by
adults.
Drying: How long it takes varies according to the thickness of your clay. Place your cookies on several layers of newspaper or on an oven rack to speed up drying.
Inserting the dowels: If dowel holes shrink slightly during the drying or baking process, widen them slightly using a screwdriver or sharp knife.
About The Author: Ellen Brown is an environmental writer and photographer and the owner of Sustainable Media, an environmental media company that specializes in helping businesses and organizations promote eco-friendly products and services. Cutters available at http://www.sugarcraft.com
More later
Other
cookie ideas